First challenge month finished and new one started

January was my first month of participation in the Chookshed Challenge, where we work on a particular project each month, using an individual numbered list and having Deana draw that month’s number to decide what we work on. 

6 was January’s number so I certainly did progress the Quatro quilt, hand piecing at least thirty flowers in the month and I’ve started joining them to the medium grey crosses for the next round of the quilt.  Since this is what I work on in the evenings while watching TV, it wasn’t hard to progress it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the next round of the quilt will all be attached by the end of March.

This is the quilt top so far.  There will be three more rounds of blocks.

February’s number is 10. On my list this is work on stitcheries while travelling. Since I’m not away much this month, I’m swapping numbers so will work on quilting and binding Mason’s quilt. I should make the most of the free motion quilting now working on my machine. 

My rearranged list is as follows:

1. complete strip sets for blue strip twist quilt
2. quilt and bind A's quilt
3. second backstitch embroidery kit (for while I'm travelling)
4. quilt and bind S's quilt
5. quilt and bind R's quilt
6. continue flower blocks for J's quatro quilt
7. complete bunny Fat Quarter Mixer quilt top
8. start on Amelie's quilt
9. backstitch embroidery kit (for while I'm travelling)
10. quilt and bind Mason's quilt

Sewing machine repaired and I'm off and running!

Finally made it to the larger town near us, where there is a sewing machine mechanic who could fit my machine in for a service and repair.  Since late November, the tension had been playing up.  I could piece without any problems but the free motion quilting was dire.  I had tested needles, thread, settings, and nothing made much difference to the free motion quilting.  Funnily, quilting using the walking foot didn't seem to be a problem.  Apparently it was the bobbin tension that was the issue and of course, with a computerised machine, I couldn't change that myself.  It needed a service anyway, since I can't get into the innards myself to clean out all the fluff.  

So finally, I've finished the free motion quilting on August's quilt.  It will be handed over in the next couple of weeks.  Now to finish the three other baby quilts that have been waiting since November.  The babies will be at school before they get the quilts at this rate!  😄

    
These photos are a bit dark, sorry.  Too breezy out in the open today.  

August's quilt:  finished size:  56.5" x 74.5" (143 x 190cm).    Pieced back, odds from other quilt backs and a big piece of space fabric that I hadn't found a use for.  Quilted with Signature threads Rainbows on top and Bottom Line in bobbin.  

January 2025 fabric tally

Finishes in the month:   bike basket cover = 0.75 m; August's quilt = 5.5 m

Purchases in the month:    none

Fabric used:  - 6.25 m         Fabric acquired:  + 0 m

Running tally for 2025:  - 6.25 m

Each year, my fabric clock goes back to zero.  Otherwise I don't think I'd ever catch up.

ScrapHappy Day January 2025

Recording my scrappy sewing.  That's scrappy, not crappy!

A little scrappy sewing has been done in the last few weeks.

My SIL asked if I could make a cover for her bike basket as, apparently, items kept in it have a habit of bouncing out when she rides over speed humps and the like.  So I found a scrap of red gingham in the stash (not sure where it came from) and made a quick and easy cover, with elastic to keep it tight.  I haven't yet heard if it has stopped her water bottle from bouncing out of the basket but at least it looks cute!  

And I've completed a couple of scrappy blocks - just to keep my sewing hand in.  These blocks are what I do when I need to sew but my mind is on other things.  I just about have enough to make a quilt this year.  I enjoy making these scrappy trip around the world blocks.  

Each month, we are reminded by Kate or Gun to post about our use of scraps in the last few weeks.  There's no obligation to post but it is a great way of reminding ourselves of what we've achieved, and of showcasing the various uses our scraps can be put to.  

The bloggers below are all ScrapHappy Day participants, maybe not every month, but their blogs are worth looking at.  If you want to join in too, contact Kate below and have some fun with scraps.  Kate sends a reminder email each month, a few days before the 15th, so you can post about your work with scraps.      

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 

 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,

 Tierney, Hannah and Maggie

Projects for Chookshed Challenge 2025

Chookshed Challege 2025 - Deana from Dreamworthy Quilts is one member of the Chookshed Quilters.  Each month in 2025, Deana will select a number from one to ten and quilters work on the project with the corresponding number from their own list.  The main rule for this challenge is that there are no rules, which should work for me as I am away for large chunks of 2025.  For example, if the number six is chosen, and that particular month is a bit tricky to work on that numbered project from my list, I can change the project!  And a goal could be just masking minimal progress on a particular quilt.  I like those sorts of rules.  

So here's my list for 2025.

1. complete strip sets for blue strip twist quilt
2. quilt and bind A's quilt
3. quilt and bind Mason's quilt
4. quilt and bind S's quilt
5. quilt and bind R's quilt
6. continue flower blocks for J's quatro quilt
7. complete bunny Fat Quarter Mixer quilt top
8. start on Amelie's quilt
9. backstitch embroidery kit (for while I'm travelling)
10. second backstitch embroidery kit (for while I'm travelling)

Since I'm away for large chunks of next year, I will definitely be swapping my projects around to suit me.  

I have lots of other projects in progress so maybe I will work on them instead?  There's no rules with this challenge!  Let's see what happens.  

Wrap up of 2024

Yet again, not as much was achieved in the sewing room as I had hoped but I'm still happy with what I've been up to.  

Finishes in 2024

• elephant wallhanging  july-disappeared
• Zion National Park quilt for my son   autumn-is-sewing-weather
• medallion quilt    February post

        


Sadly that's all I've actually finished in the quilting line.  I did complete a few other things, including hand towels made from scrap materials and a library bag for my granddaughter.

I have progressed lots of different projects, some of them very close to completion.  The problem with free motion quilting on my main sewing machine slowed me down a lot in November/December.  Once the tension problem is fixed, I have four quilts pinned and ready to quilt.  Fingers crossed!

Using up scrap pieces of material has been high on my radar, as I want to show that I've done something on Scrap Happy Day on the 15th of each month.  Participating in this group has been great for my piles of scrap fabrics, although it is hard to see any change in the piles really.  Maybe 2025 will be the year I actually have some finished items made of scraps?

          

I've also enjoyed being part of the Chookshed Stitchers which meets irregularly via Zoom, through the auspices of Chooky Blue Chooky Blue  Today was an all day stitch-in with group members coming and going throughout the day between 6am and (when I left) 6pm.  There may well have been stitchers Zooming together into the New Year?  While I was online with the group, I completed some EPP on my Quatro quilt and worked on a new quilt, selecting fabrics and creating strip sets for a Strip Twist quilt.  Not sure when this might be finished but it is on the way!  

In 2025, I will participate in the Chookshed Challenge 2025.  Each month, Deana from https://dreamworthyquilts.blogspot.com/  selects a number from one to ten and quilters work on the project with the corresponding number from their own list.  The main rule for this challenge is that there are no rules, which should work for me as I am away for large chunks of 2025.  For example, if the number six is chosen, and that particular month is a bit tricky to work on that numbered project from my list, I can change the project!  And a goal could be just masking minimal progress on a particular quilt.  I like those sorts of rules.  I will do a separate post re my 2025 Chookshed Challenge projects.

December 2024 fabric tally

Finishes in the month:   none 

Purchases in the month:    none

Fabric used:  - 0 m         Fabric acquired:  + 0 m

Running tally:  + 58 m

So this year wasn't great on the fabric front!  I had expected to finish those baby quilts and take my total tally down but it wasn't to be.  No matter - next year will be better, I hope!

November's work

I started this month with a long weekend at home (Melbourne Cup), spending time sandwiching and pinning four children's quilts.  The Happy Helper assisted me in bringing the table tennis table into the familyroom, where I could pin the quilts without crawling around on the floor.  Bliss!

My arty-farty photo of one of the quilts on the table tennis table.  

The sandwiched quilts were rolled onto a pool noodle to keep them ready for quilting.

The quilts are for four different children - one for a very good friend's second grandchild, the others for another good friend's grandchildren.  It took one full day to sandwich and pin the quilts, with pressing tops and backing for each, and ensuring the batting had been able to breathe for a few days.  It took a few hours to make binding for the quilts as well.

I started quilting one of the quilts and had problems with tension during the free motion quilting.  So frustrating!  But not with the walking foot.  So I put the machine away and will try again next week.  I do prefer a combination of walking foot and free motion quilting, especially to highlight names on quilts etc.  We've just returned from being away so I'm sure I won't get all four quilts quilted and bound during December.  Especially if my free motion quilting doesn't improve.

We were away for ten nights, with a couple of full days of train travel, so I took some small embroidery projects to do.  Our trip to Sydney on the train was great in that I got lots of sewing done as well as a good way through a book.  Then I lost my embroidery hoop! (I think at the airport hotel in Sydney but I didn't realise it until we arrived at our holiday destination.)  I had to wait until we were back in Sydney before I could buy a new hoop, ready for the train ride home.  So I didn't get all the planned hand sewing done.  :-(

I've also spent a few hours in November piecing scrap quilt blocks as a form of mindless sewing.  Some days you just need time at the sewing machine, for nothing particularly important.  

November 2024 fabric tally

Finishes in the month:   none 

Purchases in the month:    one embroidery hoop 

Fabric used:  - 0 m         Fabric acquired:  + 0 m

Running tally:  + 58 m

ScrapHappy Day 15th November 2024

Today is the day in the month when a group of (mainly) quilting bloggers share their previous month's work using only scraps.  Some months I'm only creating scraps, including this month, but I have also done some sewing with scraps.   I made two blocks using Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips pattern, and have decided that it is easier to sew the block using six times 2 1/2"  strips rather than 36 separate pieces of fabric.  I do have quite a few 2 1/2"  pieces in my scrap drawers so will have to use them up in some sort of other scrap quilt pattern, if not this one.  

Here's all my 12"  blocks together so far.  One block was obviously sewn using a different foot, as it is smaller than the other blocks by about 1/2" .  

I've also made a few potato chip blocks this month, using my 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" pieces.  

I tend to do this sort of sewing when I just need some mindless piecing to keep my sewing mojo encouraged.  

I made five yellow blocks and put these with my other potato chip blocks.  Will be a while before I have enough for a quilt!

I'm posting this the night before the 15th.  I'll be busy all day tomorrow and don't know how to schedule publishing my blog in the future.  Sorry!

The bloggers below are all ScrapHappy Day participants, maybe not every month, but their blogs are worth looking at.  If you want to join in too, contact Kate below and have some fun with scraps.  Kate sends a reminder email each month, a few days before the 15th, so you can post about your work with scraps.      

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 

 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,

 Tierney, Hannah and Maggie